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Recipe Monday: Tom Kha Soup

Monday, February 3, 2014

Goods:

1 clove garlic (sliced)
1 can heavy creamy coconut milk (I use the kind from Trader Joe's. It's perfect for this.)
2 cups of veggie broth (I use my leftover whey from this recipe and add a tablespoon of better than bouillon veggie-chicken flavor)
Bunch of cilantro (chopped)
1 bag of cremini mushrooms (some recipes use straw mushrooms, but I don't like the canned ones and dried are hard to find. I like the earthiness of cremini and they are more available)
1 tablespoon lemongrass (I use the dried kind. Fresh adds a great flavor, but a PAIN to eat/dig out)
1/2 tablespoon herbs de provence
1 lime
a bit of ginger (I don't usually have fresh ginger and inadvertently forget this step almost always)
2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
pinch of salt
pinch of red pepper flakes (only if you want some heat. my girls don't like that kind of heat so I will skip it but add to my soup)

Process:

Medium to medium high heat, melt your butter in a pan. Add your diced garlic. If you like extra garlic, go for it. Add your pinch of salt and the mushrooms. Get those nice and coated. Saute it up until they are slightly soft. Squeeze your lime juice onto the mushrooms, then add your ginger, herbs, and lemongrass. Mix them up together and give them a good saute. Add your cilantro. Give it another saute dance. You just want the greens to be lightly cooked, not full on wilted. Now add the veggie broth. Spoon out the creamy coconut milk and stir/agitate until it mixes with the rest of the liquid. Cook until bubbling.

Serve up!

*You can add fish sauce, chicken, tofu, and/or chili paste to add different elements and flavors. When I use fresh coconut, I like to get a young coconut and cut the meaty flesh into strips and add to my soup for added texture. When my girls get older, I may use fresh lemongrass more, but for now, to prevent excessive chewing, whining, and yes, even minor choking, I use the dried kind. It doesn't add the flavor in the same way as the fresh kind, but it works well enough. If you can use fresh ingredients, it'll definitely make a difference in the way it tastes. You may not always have access to fresh, though, so in a pinch, this recipe will work to hold you over until you can get to your favorite Thai spot!